By Alex Wilson | Photos by Viktor Budnik
John Muscarella has been making beautiful things with his hands his whole life, and now he gets to pass along his knowledge to new generations of creators at the Ventura jewelry store he owns, Lynn’s Jewelry Studio, which has been serving customers since 1970.
Muscarella’s dad enjoyed woodworking and introduced his 10 kids early on how to use tools, including the lathe, in the garage of their Thousand Oaks home. When Muscarella was a sophomore at Newbury Park High School, he figured out his true calling wasn’t in wood, but rather in gemstones and gold.
“I took a jewelry class in high school and I fell in love with making jewelry,” Muscarella, 65, told Ventana Monthly. “Six months out of high school, I got a job, and I’ve been making jewelry professionally ever since.”
Muscarella still remembers the arts and crafts classes Carolyn Pinkston taught at NPHS that inspired him so deeply, the first one which also included leather and ceramics. He ended up taking her elective jewelry classes all the way through his senior year.
“I ended up helping her do the castings for the other students. And that was where I made my senior ring. It was the first time I made a gold ring. I bought gold for the first time my senior year in high school,” Muscarella said. “Gold was $180 an ounce at that time. Today it’s $3,300.”
Decades of service
Muscarella started working at Lynn’s Jewelry Studio 29 years ago. He took over ownership seven years ago, after the original owner, Bob Lynn, retired. The technology behind creating jewelry has evolved in recent years, and Muscarella now uses computers to custom-design the exact looks customers desire.
“I like to have the customer be a part of the designing,” he said. “I sit there and draw it on a piece of paper first, and then I do a CAD (computer-assisted design). I do the designing on the computer, and then I make a model for them out of a 3D printer that I have onsite. They get to see the model before it’s created in metal.”
Aside from custom-designed jewelry, Lynn’s Jewelry Studio also sells pieces from a variety of other jewelry makers, including ones Muscarella meets at trade shows and whose designs fit with Ventura’s vibes. Lynn’s also does steady business refurbishing or reimagining heirloom jewelry, and has a case of interesting antique pieces on sale for people searching for vintage looks.
After being in business for so long, Lynn’s Jewelry Studio has truly become part of the fabric of the community.
“We’re now working with third-generation customers. Our store has been in business for 55 years, so we’ve designed grandma’s ring and then mom and dad’s ring, and now we’re working on engagement rings for their children. So, we are dealing with third-generation customers and that makes me proud,” Muscarella said.
Workshop offers local makers a chance to shine
While the front of Lynn’s Jewelry Studio resembles other retail jewelry stores, stepping behind the scenes reveals another world where stunning creations are just coming into existence. When he took over the store a few years back, Muscarella decided the warehouse space in the back could be better utilized, and expanded the area for repairing and making jewelry.
With four fully equipped jewelry-making stations complete with tiny tools and devices to make metal soft enough to bend, there’s plenty of room to offer classes on the art of jewelry making. The four-week-long course includes 10 hours of work time during four sessions, and Muscarella offers the classes about six times a year.
“And in that time, we usually create a piece of jewelry from sea glass and it’s made out of silver,” he said. “We sit down and draw what they want to make. And then I teach them torch control because…the different solders that we use have different melting temperatures, so you don’t overheat it to melt the piece. So, it’s a neat process.”
Muscarella said the students love the course so much that many stick with the hobby. One man took the class three times. Someone who learns to make jewelry at Lynn’s Jewelry Studio might even follow in Muscarella’s footsteps someday and take up making jewelry professionally.
“I enjoy teaching, furthering the education to people. I would love to find a student that would want to come in to work at the store and maybe mentor them to purchase the store when I’m ready to retire, something like that. So, trying to find that person who loves jewelry like I do.”
Lynn’s Jewelry Studio
4572 Telephone Road, Suite 906, Ventura
805.642.5500
lynnsjewelry.com
